Dr Stephen Gage, Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Reading, has published a self-guided walking tour highlighting Reading’s remarkable Georgian architecture, coinciding with Heritage Open Days.
The Georgian Reading Self-Guided Walking Tour leaflet explores buildings from 1700-1840 that would have been familiar to Jane Austen during her schooling in Reading in the late 1700s. The guide features two distinct routes covering architectural highlights including Eldon Square, Albion Terrace, Watlington House, London Street’s varied Georgian streetscapes, and the original Royal Berkshire Hospital frontage.
Developed in partnership with REDA (Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency), the tour draws on Dr Gage’s guided walks created for Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary celebrations. As Dr Gage notes, Reading preserved much fine Georgian architecture from the stagecoach era and canal development period, representing hundreds of examples throughout the town centre.
This accessible public engagement initiative demonstrates how academic research can illuminate the built heritage that surrounds us daily. The leaflet is available from Reading Museum, local libraries, Reading Station’s tourism kiosk, and for download at Visit-Reading.com.
The project exemplifies effective research dissemination, translating architectural scholarship into public-facing resources that enhance community understanding of local urban heritage.